The Heart
by MoonRaven1412
Summary: ONE-SHOT: Law watched him. He was familiar. There were quirks, signs... But Law wasn't sure. Or maybe he was just afraid. So he just watched and contemplated the possibility of the theory he had. Maybe he could ask. If they were to survive. Based on Rocinante-is-Sanji's-father -theory. Please read. :)


**A/N: I got inspiration and decided to write this up. The inspiration was the Theory of Rocinanate being Sanji's father. Just go to OP Forum to read it up. It's really interesting. :)**

**So basically this fic is about Law making observations... Tell me what do you think, kay? ;)**

* * *

**The Heart**

They were small things. Insignificant things. Things that he probably wouldn't have paid much mind to if the situation had been anything else. Things that all together formed an almost impossible truth. And Law wasn't even sure whether he should've believed it or not. But he kept observing the cook of the Straw hat Pirates in the hopes of getting either confirmation or denial to his suspicions. He didn't know which one would've hurt him less though…

The first thing the surgeon noticed – and he didn't know why since many people smoked – was the brand of cigarettes lying on the counter top of the galley onboard Thousand Sunny. It was the same brand he'd seen as a child being smoked between painted lips. Sanji was a chain smoker. Just like _he_ had been.

The only thing missing is the habit of lighting one's own clothes in fire when beginning the new cigarette.

* * *

Next observation was much more analytical, downright clinical in Law's opinion. It had been just a day since the Alliance had been formed and the lion ship had left the freezing waters of Punk Hazard behind and Law had been mulling over information he'd gathered of his allies. He went over their personalities and fighting styles… And as a doctor he also took in the physical appearance of each crew member and it fit one chosen style. When he came to cook he noticed the similar physique the blonde shared with _him_. Long legs but not like of the people in long-leg tribes. Blonde hair that wasn't quite straight but not curly either. Blue eyes, those weren't very common at any of the Four Blues.

The only thing missing was the clumsiness. Unlike _him_, the cook could move with elegance and ease.

* * *

Law sighed and decided to listen to the reindeer sitting next to him and telling him of the herbal medicines the Hito Hito no Mi eater made.

"Hey, Torao, do you want to hear how we beat Crocodile back in Alabasta?" For some reason, the Captain of the ship decided that if they were going against a Shichibukai, Law definitely had to hear about the crew previous, successful attempt at fighting one. So while the Strawhat captain phrased it like a question, there was no doubt the surgeon would hear the story despite of what he answered.

"Well, how did you, Mugiwara-ya?" Law asked, deciding to humor the boy. It wouldn't hurt to listen. He just hoped by the time the story was over he wouldn't have a humongous headache. And preferably would also know what actually happened.

So the story began. Luffy waved his hands enthusiastically while explaining how bad person Crocodile was and how he made Vivi, the Princess of Alabasta, cry and thus deserved beating. Once in a while Usopp joined in, praising himself for non-existent feats and Chopper listened with 'ooh's and 'aah's. Then Nami began yelling at the captain how the story made no sense and Zoro merely yawned from his spot by the mast. Law sighed. He should've guessed this.

Shaking his head, the Heart Pirate Captain got on his feet and walked to sit at other side of the deck where Robin was reading a book while attentively listening to the antics of the rest of the crew. Thankfully the attention had already been diverted from him.

"I have to admit that if I hadn't been there myself, I wouldn't understand either what happened." The archeologist chuckled…

"Would you mind telling me then? It appears that Mugiwara-ya managed to capture my attention despite his poor storytelling skills." Law asked… a bit warily to be honest. He did remember the articles about the woman that were spread already decade ago. He knew most of them were Government propaganda but he could never be too careful.

"Fufufufu… Why not? But you have to understand I was on the enemy's side back then and heard most of the details second or third hand." Robin closed her book and placed it neatly on her lap, her hand delicately resting on it. And she began telling how the Straw hats – back then only five of them that came from East Blue – met Miss Wednesday Mr. 9 at Twin Capes and sailed them to Whiskey Peak, an outpost for Baroque Works filled with bounty hunters. She told how Zoro beat all of the hunters and how he got into a fight with Luffy due misunderstanding. How Nami made a deal with Igaram (also known as Mr. 8) to get the princess safely to Alabasta to get information for her father the king and stop the rebellion brewing there. She told how she destroyed the decoy ship, letting the group think Igaram was dead and watched them to leave towards Little Garden… after Luffy had destroyed the eternal pose to Alabasta.

Robin also told briefly about the Little Garden and the events there. She told about the den den mushi call Crocodile made.

"Why did he say that the Straw hats were defeated when actually it was him who lost?" Law interrupted.

"Oh, I'll tell you eventually." The woman smiled mysteriously and resumed the story. The Drum Kingdom had only a short mention in the story since that was the place where Chopper came from. Law was impressed. He had heard of the Kingdom and its medical knowledge.

Then the crew arrived to Alabasta. Robin focused on telling the events of Rainbase and Raindinners where Crocodile received another call. This time the caller identified himself as Mr. Prince who later managed to trick the Shichibukai out of the casino so the prisoners in the Kairouseki cage could be freed. The rest of the story wasn't heard though when Sanji came out of the galley and announced that the dinner was ready. It didn't matter though. Law had a lot to think about now.

* * *

Law followed with attentive eyes the interactions between the cook and the rest of the crew. Mostly the blond man was quiet and calm. The only occasions emotions flared up visibly was when he was serving one of the ladies or getting into an argument with Zoro.

_"Calm."_ Whispered a voice somewhere at the back of Law's mind but he shook it away

* * *

"Honestly those guys…" Nami huffed when she walked in the mids of her Mikan trees, escaping the latest antics of the rest of the crew. "No sense at all… Well, Sanji-kun has some. Sometimes… Like when he thought ahead and closed the Gates of Justice so we could escape Enies Lobby… And he did sneak aboard the Sea Train and decimated their numbers for us… How he manages to sneak around, I'll never get. Although he in general doesn't make that much noise of himself." The Navigator continued mumble as she plucked one of the orange fruits off the nearest branch. She failed to notice an eavesdropper at the other of the trees, slowly peeling the mikan he'd pilfered for himself and eating it in contemplating silence.

* * *

For some reason the crew began talking about their origins. Not on detail though. If Law read their expressions correctly, they all had more or less painful memories from home. But they still told. Probably because of the samurais on board.

During the talk, the surgeon once again learnt a lot about the crew. Previously he'd thought they all were either form East Blue or Grand Line (with the exception of Nico Robin who was from Ohara, information that the entire world knew). But no… the skeleton musician Brook was from West Blue too while the shipwright Franky's roots were on South Blue despite him living almost his entire life at Water 7. And the cook…

"North Blue?" Law glanced towards Sanji who was leaning against the railing and smoking a cigarette as usual.

"Yeah… I lived there until shitty geezer took me to East Blue where he opened Baratie. Before that I used to work at The Orbit."

"The Orbit… I've heard of it. Never had a chance to see it though." The doctor thought aloud, silently prompting the cook to continue his story.

"I lived almost entirety of the first years of my life there. Ever since my mother took a position as a waitress there." To the unasked question the entire crew seemed to be asking, the cook only shrugged. "She died when I was five but I stayed there."

Law decided to take a shot in the dark and ask the pressing question in his mind that couldn't leave him alone.

"What about your father?"

Sanji glanced at him in mild confusion before shrugging. "I don't know. I don't remember meeting the man myself… Mother always talked about a young Marine recruit who according to her was adorably clumsy… Maybe that was him." The cook went to pick himself up from the lawny deck of Sunny when Law moved Kikoku's hilt _just so_ it would hit the blonde's shoe.

Sanji was sent back down, his feet in the air. The Straw hat captain's laughter filled the air, some more crewmembers joining. The cook gritted his teeth and hurried away.

"No desert to any of you, shitheads!"

* * *

Law wasn't sure what to do with his new found knowledge… Maybe he should just let the things be and observe if more similarities would come up. It became a sort of a game for him. Apart from fretting about his plans, he had nothing else to do.

And thus he didn't. The group reached Dressrosa and was split in smaller ones. Law was fully focused on his task… But then everything went wrong. Sunny was attacked, Robin and Usopp disappeared, marines appeared… Doflamingo went to attack Sunny right after his underlings were defeated.

The doctor had feared he'd be late one way of other. Then he heard – and saw – Sanji fighting the warlord. Diable Jambe. Law had only heard of the move before and seeing the fire made this time him only add a note on his mental check list. What he didn't quite expect (he should've, considering the Straw Hat crew's loyalty towards each other) was the way the cook was ready sacrifice himself to let the people on Sunny to get away.

"Not on my watch…" Law growled, switching places with Doflamingo, grabbing Sanji and getting on the deck of the lion ship.

But it wasn't until the Heart Pirate captain was hour later lying on the ground with his arm attached and watching Luffy fight that he decided to throw caution to the wind. Hell if they all came out alive from this, he'd definitely talk with the cook. If only to compare notes of what they knew of the man. Maybe two heads could think better than one after all…

* * *

**A/N: Alright, this is done. I'm off now. You are welcome to review and tell me what do you think about this idea. I'll reply with PMs.**

**And now back to writing the next chapter for _the Story of the Firefly_! See ya!**


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